A Transformation is Happening

There comes a point in the school year where the class melds together and cohesion happens. Today was that glorious point!

Generally, the school year has started very well. I have an extremely full class of 29 students which makes addressing their individual needs quite challenging.  Nonetheless, it has been my delight to see them come together as a group, care for each other, learn to be more independent, and to appreciate classical music. 

I saw some astonishing things occurring in my classroom today that made me pause and ask myself: "Wait, how did that happen? How can a climate of learning be created for that to happen again?"

Our day started beautifully with silent reading (en français bien sûr!)  The musical selection during silent reading was Beethoven's exquisite Sonata no. 3 in A Major for cello and piano. This is one of my absolute favourite pieces of chamber music because Beethoven has so much contrast in this one work. You'll never guess who plays this on YouTube! You've got it - Glenn Gould!

One of my students who was initially resistant to the idea of listening to classical music found this piece exhilarating and enjoyable. Can one blame him? The energy in this composition is remarkable. I firmly believe that the classical music is an excellent complement to their silent reading programme.  This class has become increasingly disciplined with their silent reading practice and are starting to value literacy on their own accord. 

After silent reading, the class worked in small groups on a French vocabulary activity related to a novel we're currently studying. The students put themselves into partners or groups of three with ease and not a single person was left out. I am so fortunate to teach such a caring class where students seem to be highly aware of the needs of other people.  Each partnership was engaged in the activity and I heard an increasing amount of French spoken amongst the students! This was truly encouraging.

After recess, I witnessed pure magic. The greatest challenge I have faced this year is providing each of my students with an appropriate yet challenging Math curriculum. I've struggled with this because each child comes to my class with a different set of numeracy skills. Moreover, the Grade 5 Math curriculum is a gigantic leap from Grade 4. To compound the challenge, I only have seven Grade 5 students so the other students in my class must be working independently for me to give the Grade 5s the attention necessary. Today, after two previous lessons working on double-digit multiplication, I let all of the Grade 5 students work together on the Math that was assigned. The rule was that the whole group had to wait until each student had finished the question before moving on. Also, the group had to agree upon an answer before proceeding to the next question.  I sat beside them and observed. To my awe and amazement, not only were they graciously helping each other, but they were in fact SPEAKING FRENCH. You will just have to believe me when I tell you that they were not prompted by me to speak French. They just simply understood that French is the language of communication in our class. 

I immediately praised this group for their use of French as it has been one area in which they needed to improve. Moreover, one of the students in Grade 5 chose to work on the Math alone, which is fine. The student also asked if they could listen to Mozart while doing their Math! (By this point, I'm beaming.) I supply the student with headphones at our listening station and off they go! Multiplication and Mozart: does it get better?

After a lovely lunch in the sunshine with my colleagues, the Grade 4 students returned to work on their French vocabulary assignment while the Grade 5 students still had Math that needed to be completed. Again, they were collaborating IN FRENCH without my prompting. The students invited people they did not normally associate with into their groups to work.  I could see new social connections forming.  The highlight of my day was when one of the students who has resisted speaking French said to me (direct translation): "I think we should work in groups more because that's going to make us speak more French." 

Of course, this makes perfect sense to me. French is a language of communication - not simply the language of instruction in the class. Having lived in Montreal for the last two summers, I understand that French is a living language. People do business in French, eat in French, work in French, and having friendships in French. For these students to sense that French is a living language, they need to be interacting in French with each other even more than they already are.

Today at school was a blessing. I witnessed what my students are capable of. My class is a group of children who love to learn together and wish to help each other on their educational journey. Oh, and they don't mind one bit if that journey is en français. Tomorrow the school bell will ring once again and  I can not wait to see what extraordinary learning my students accomplish - just by the virtue of their own abilities.